A proper knowledge of breast cancer stage helps the medical team to determine the extent of the disease. This helps specialists to guide you with required therapies and offer a reliable prognostic data.
Usually, the staging is carried out following the surgery that can be either mastectomy or lumpectomy. The staging of breast cancer normally include assessment of lymph notes in the armpit (axillary lymph nodes). Such an evaluation can possibly follow other blood tests and radiology tests.
The American Joint Committee on Cancer has defined a proper medical system for staging the breast cancer. Named the “TNM System”, all breast cancer cases are staged as per the guidelines of the system.
The TNM is referred to the size of the tumor (T) and the number of the lymph nodes found to be involved (N) in it. In addition, it is also checked whether the cancer has spread or metastasized to the other areas of the body (M). Late 2009 saw the latest edition of the TNM system, which ultimately took effect on January 1, 2010.
Many people around the world still feel having cancer means to meet the dead end. To deal and to combat breast cancer from the root successfully, you need to look beyond and check out the different breast cancer stages. By knowing every breast cancer stage, you will be in a position to better handle this disease.
Breast cancer like any other cancer appears in stages. When some of the cancers spread and grow rapidly, there are some which spread slowly. Some of the cancer growths are unpredictable while the others are predictable. The different stages hugely depend on tumor size. Let’s now get to know the different stages of breast cancer.
Breast Cancer Stage 1 and 2
In stage 1, the tumor turns cancerous. This is the stage when the diameter of the tumor grows 1 inch in its size but it is yet to spread all over the breast. In the stage 2, three things can happen. First, the tumor that turns cancerous can be found to have grown less than 1 inch spreading to the lymph nodes that are under the arm. Second, it can happen that tumor’s diameter is found to be bigger than 2 inches and yet to extend. Third it can also be that the cancerous has grown about 1 to 2 inches but yet to extend to the lymph nodes under the arm. However, it is found to be going to the same direction.
Breast cancer stage 0
The stage 0 refers to the carcinoma in situ or the noninvasive carcinoma. In the initial stages, cells are usually found to be quite abnormal in lobule lining but are not confirmed to have been turned to cancerous as yet.
Breast cancer stage 3
This is the stage when the size of the tumor grows 2 inches or more. And it spreads and also attacks the underarm lymph nodes. In the stage 3, cancerous tumor multiply to lymph nodes situated close to the breastbone. It can also spread to the other tissues close to the breast.
Breast cancer stage 4
Stage 4 is the most dangerous stage of them all. This is the stage which is also known as the metastatic cancer. In such a stage, the disease is found to have been spread from the lymph nodes extending to the other areas of the body. This particular stage is conceived as dangerous and incurable as well. If detected early then it can be cured.